Moyer places 6th in State pole vault

Published June 11, 2014 at 9:06 am

luejacket senior James Moyer is pictured clearing 13-06 deep in the Class AA boys pole vault competition. Below is Moyer with the sixth-place medal he earned at Hamline University on June 6. Photos by Greg Hunt

Cambridge-Isanti senior James Moyer brought home a sixth-place medal when he competed in the Class AA track & field meet hosted at Hamline University June 6.

“I just wanted to PR down here (set a personal record); I didn’t really care what place I got. It was a really good time to get down here my senior year– a good way to end the season,” said Moyer.

C-I Coach Kent Viesselman was pumped as he watched Moyer clear the opening vault heights by a high difference. Moyer kept rolling on his attempts, and when he cleared 13-03 he was one of eight “AA” boys remaining in the event. He then cleared the 13-06 height to set his personal-best and earn the medal. Calvin Deike of Mankato East went on to win the event at 14-06.

Moyer also competed on the 4×100 relay and both the long and high jumps for the Bluejacket boys this spring. “I really enjoyed the pole vault a lot– it was one of my favorite events. In the off-season I did a lot of lifting reps to increase the muscle tone. Pole vault is one of those sports you don’t think too much about– you just do it,” he said after receiving his medal on the big stage at Hamline.

Also representing the Bluejacket boys was senior Darren DeBaere in the shot put. DeBaere made his last throw count when he marked 47-10.5 in the sand. While he did not the finals with that distance, the State experience was a great way for DeBaere to wrap up a solid throwing career for the Jackets. Frank Ragnow of Chanhassen won the “AA” shot with a 57-06 toss.

• Senior Victoria Koukol represented the Bluejacket girls track squad at State, competing in two wheelchair events. Koukol was 2nd in the discus at 23-0 and she placed 3rd in the shot put at 11-03.5– both marks longer than her section seed distances. Photo by Bruce Strand, Elk River StarNews